Blank cutting and transporting mechanism



Aug. 14%, 1923.

A. J. EVERS ET AL BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 Gw E a3 3w A A. J. EVERS ET AL,

BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1922 Aug. 14, 1923. v 1,464,649

A. J. EVERS ET AL BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2, 1922 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 14, 192.3.

vA. J. EVERS ET AL BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2, 1922 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 31,454,649 A. J. EVERS ET AL BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPYORTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2, 1922 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 @NN @NN Aug. 141, 1923.

Aug. M, 1923.

A. J. EVERS ET AL BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 NWN Filed Feb. 2, 1922 A. J. EVERS ET AL.

BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Aug. 14, 1923.

Filed Feb. 2, 1922 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 i "A UA Aug. 14, 1923. 31,464,649

A. J. EVERS ET AL BLANK CUTTING AND TRANSPORTING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 2, 1922 v 9 Sheds-Sheet 9 Patented Aug, 14, 192$ hdtttttt ARTHUR J. EVEBS AND HERBERT J. SAUVAGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOBS TO ALBERT A. ARNOLD, 0F OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

BLANK CUTTING AND TBANSPORTING MECHANISM.

Application filed February.2, 1922. Serial No. 533,520.

T 0 all whomrz't may concern:

Be it known that we, An'rHUnJ. Evans and HERBERT J. SAUVAGE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Blank Cutting and Transporting Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification. r y

The present invention relates to machines for acting on blanks, such as flat blanks of pasteboard, strawboard, and the like, and concerns more particularly orespecially improved and novel means for feeding or transporting the blanks, preferably in groups or multiples from one magazine or storage-compartment to another-with intermediate means for cutting out the corners of the blanks or otherwise modifying their physical characteristics.

In the particular machine set forth in detail in this patent, presenting a preferred embodiment of the invention, the corners of pasteboard blanks are cut out preliminary to their employment inthe production of boxes, but the exact action which takes place with respect to the blanks is of little moment, as compared with the means for feeding, transferring, and stacking the un finished and completed blanks.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, the blanks are removed in groups from the bottom portion of a stack in a supply-magazine, fed to and operatedupon by cutters, and delivered to the bottom'portion of a stack of finished blanks in another magazine or storage-compartment.

The means for accomplishing this result is believed to be novel and constituteslthe principal feature of the invention, the construction being such that new blanks may be added to the supply-magazine and completed or corner-cut blanksremoved from the other magazine without in. any way interfering-with the action of the machine.

In order that those skilled in this art may have a full and complete understanding. of

the invention and the various benefits and,

advantages accruing from its use, such a preferred and desirable embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and: throughout the several views of which like reference characters have been employed for the same parts.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan vie of the machine with certain parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine;

Figure 3 is a rear end elevation of the mechanism;

Figure 4% is a fragmentary enlarged ver tical cross-section on substantially line 4-4 of Figure 2 with the parts viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section on substantially line 55 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a vertical cross-section illustrating the parts shown in the upper portion of Figure 8 with the finished blank magazine filled with a stack of such blanks;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section on line 7-7 of Figure 5 and illustrates the four cutters for removing the four corner portions of the blanks; I

Figure 8 is a Vertical section, similar to the right-hand portion of Figure 5, illus trating'the method of operation of the parts acting upon the blanks in the supply maga zine;

only of Figure 8 showing on an enlarged scale the supply magazine and its associated elements;

Figures 1.0 and 11 are details of the blank elevator at the delivery end of the mechanlsm;

Figure 12 is a detail viewof a small portion of the supply-magazine;

Figures 13, 14:, and 15 illustrate details of the construction of the blank feeding mechanism associated with the supply' magazine;

Figure lti shows one of the pasteboard blanks; and r Figure 17 illustrates such a blank after its corners have been cut out.

As'is clearly depicted in thesedrawings, the machine includes a suitably-shaped base 21 carrying two members 22 and 23 slidable crosswise the base for adjustment purposes, as will be clearly understood after the remainder of the mechanism has'been de\ scribed in; detail; v

Figure 9 is a similar section of a portion ments of both members 22 and'23, these two shafts are connected together by a train 0% gearing as indicated in Figure 2, Sliding 62H- ea'rs 2?,

ing comprising the interin'eshing b 28, 29, 31, and 32, the protruding portion of the shaft 33 of the middle 29 being equipped with a cross-pin, wl'i'e'refby a wrench may be applied thereto for turning the group of gears and the two shafts, all as will be readily understood.

Such supporting, lengthwise-disposed, adjust'able, slide member 22 has rigidly mounted thereon an upright casting 3d of more or less hollow con-formation, and such element 22 also carries a similar casting 36 adapted to be moved toward and from the casing 34 for adjustment purposes;

In like manner, the supporting member 23 carries a fixed casting 35and anadjustable casting 37, it. being understood that the two longitudinal halves of themeehanism are substantially duplicates and are separated from one another on. the supporting base, which acts as a single'foundation for the entire mechanism.

Each upright casting 36 or 37, as the case may be, is provided at its lower end with a sliding connection 38 with the corresponding supporting element 22 or 23, the casting having a depending threaded lug 39 accommodating an appropriately-supported screw or threaded shal't ll equipped atthe rear end of the machine with a bevel gear42 in mesh with a bevel gear 4C3 on a cross-shaft 44:, an end of which issupplied with a cross-pin 45 for the application. of a turning wrench,

whereby the manual turning of the shaft operates both sets of gears'42 and 43 andsiini iltaneously andv equally adjusts the. two

movable Casts-es 36 and 7 nd the We h s ey carry. a v 7 Each casting35 hasmountedon it "a for; -wardly-pro eeting bracket 51"on' which 1s su ported aics econd bi'a clrie'ti52 slidably rei ce ving the base portion of a thirdbracket 53 adapted to be held inadjusted position 1 crosswise the v 7 machine by a tightening or set screw '54. r r

V llach ot these brackets 53 has "vertical plate secured to its inner face, the two platespcenjoi ntly, forming a part of the sup-- ply-magazine for Itheblanks, and each of these plates is horizontally, longitudinally slotted at 5 6 to receive a clampingor hold- I ing device 57 of any suitableconstruction of an upright bar 59 at the inner side of the plate and having a'portion 58 residing in the As is shown in Figure 1, each of the four,

upright castings 34, 35, 36, andZ-BLT is internally provided with a pair of vertical guides 63, 63 slidingly accommodati-ng'a vertical, reciprocatory block 64, and each of such blocks, associated with the castings 34 and 35, is equipped with an inwardly-extended element65 adjustably supporting and holding a horizontal rod 66, whose position may be changed or maintained by means or a manually actuated clamp 67 or tightening means of any appropriate character.

At its front end each of such rods 66 car- I ries avertical, s'oeketed bar 68 internally re 'ceiving telescopically the cylindrical stem 69 of a foot block 71, the part 68 having an internal spring '7 3 pressing downwardly on the end of the stem 69, the telescopic movement of the two parts being limited by a pin and slot'connection 74, between them, i

the front face of part 71 having mounted o thereon an upright blank-retaining strip -7 2 bevelled or bent flaring at its upper end.

The right-hand plate 55'of the'supplymagazine, as the parts areviewed in'Figure 1, adjustably carries a horizontal, cross rod 81, which maybe held fixedly in -adjusted 7 position by a clamping or set screw, 82.

Opposite substantially the middle of the front of the pasteboard blank supply-magazine this rod has pivotally mounted thereon a bar 83 equipped at its lower end with a weight 84 connectedthereto by an upright double pin and single slot connection 85, such weight having a normally-vertical face 86 adapted toengagethe front ed es of the stacker supply of blanks in the magazine, and'provided also with a substantially-horizontal shoulder 87 designedland intended to rest on the top oflthe uppermost blank in the magazine. 4

Adja'centto such' part 83, the rod8'1 also i has 7 pivotally 'mounted; thereon a depending bares which is normally pressedf'toward the blanks in themagazine byreason of a leaifspring 91 engaging'its front -edge, ;fsueh spring being mounted on a'block-g -89 fast-f" ened to therod; the bar 88 at its lower end 7 r "havinga bevelled'orpointed finger 92 adja centto which isarece'ss, or cavity 93in its undersurface, all as is clearly indicated in Figure9." c

A transverse shaft 101', provided with a longitudinal key way, wis'osci-llatory in"two bearings 102 a'n'd l03 secured to the sides of extensions 104 and 105 of the brackets previously referred to mounted on the castings 34 and 35, and at one end such shaft has an arm 106 fastened thereto, the end of the arm being provided with an anti-friction roller 107 traveling on the face of a cam 103 mounted on or keyed to a shaft 109 operated from a power-driven drive-shaft 111 through intermeshing gears 112'and 113, a convenient way of providing such cam being to mount it directly on the outer face of gear 113.

' Substantially in register with the middle of the blank supply-magazine, shaft 101 is fitted with a collar 121 keyed thereto and provided with a tightening screw 122 to maintain the collar on the shaft at any desired point of adjustment thereon-lengthwise the shaft.

A bar 124 is fastened to the side of such collar by means of screws 123, and the projecting end of such bar is equipped with an anti-friction roller 125 in register with and adapted to cooperate with the lower end portion of the pivoted, springpressed, depending bar 88.

' The lower part or face of collar 121 has a groove 126 (Figure 13) slidingly receiving a block 127 of the configuration shown in Figure 14, the block being retained in the groove by a pair of plates 128, 128 fastened to the under side of the collar with a space between their adjacent edges. Block 127 has a projecting ribbed finger 129 provided near its extreme end with an aperture 131.

At its central portion, element 127 has a hole 132 through it to accommodate an upstanding perforated lug 133 of a lever or bar 140, a pivot or fulcrum pin 134 extending through apertures of and pivoting together the two members 127 and 140 with the part 133 in the opening 132.

The-lever or arm 140 is normally pressed down at its rear portion by a spring 135 accommodated in part in registering'cavities the two elements 127 and 140 and, at its extreme end, the member 140 is'equipped with an adjustable, bent needle 136 adapted under certain conditions to project through the opening 131 and to engage the lowermost tilted blank in the supply-magazine inthe manner hereinafter indicated.

Adjacent to the opening '].32theblock 127 has an upward projection 137 supplied with a cam slot 138,one side of the projection having fastened thereto a plate 142 overlapping slightly the edge of the cam groove fora purpose hereinafter designated.

I The lever or piece 140 also has, an offset, upwardly-extending projection-139 with a cam face, and one side of the part 139 has a plate 141 secured thereto and extended beyond the edge of such cam face in a manner similar to the way the plate 142 extends beyond the camisurfa'ce of slot 138'.

' clearly illustrated in Figure 8.

A stationary cross-rod 142 is mounted in suitable supports 143, 143 secured to the sides of the extensions 104 and 105, the rod being held by suitable collars against longitudinal movement with respect to one support or hearing 143 but not adapted to slide. through the other bearing when the parts of the mechanism are adjusted to different positions.

Such rod or shaft carries an anti-friction roller 144 rotatable thereon and adapted to coact with the cam surfaces of the parts 137 and 138, the roller being retained between the plates 141 and 142 against longitudinal displacement, such plates, however, shifting the roller lengthwise the shaft when the other arts are moved along'the shaft 101 for ad ustment.

The inner faces of the two parts 104 and 105 and of the castings 34 and 35 with which they are associated are horizontally grooved and provided with upper and lower, horizontal, retaining plates 151 and 152 partially overlapping the groove with a space between their adjacent edges, the upper plate 151 being somewhat longer than the corresponding lower plate 152 as illustrated in Figure '5.

Each groove is occupied by a slide 154 with an inwardly bent end 156, and the space between the edges of the two strips 151 and 152 is occupied by a bar 153 having a similar bent end 155, these two lugs or cars being connected together by an adjusting screw 157 whereby the relation of the two elements to one another may be, readily modified.

Bar 153 has two screw and slot guiding connections 15S and 159 with the inner bar 154 permitting the relative adjustment specified and designed to clamp the two bars together firmly if desired.

Bar 153 has a dog or blank pusher 161 pivoted to it at 162, such element or finger being connected by a coil contractile spring 163 to a block 164 fastened to the'part 153 and having a shoulder 165 cooperating with the tail of the finger'to limit its upward movement and therefore to determine the extent to which such member may project or extend beyond the upper faces of the parts on which the blanks rest.

In somewhat similar manner, the rear end of the slide 153 is equipped with another, pivoted, blank finger or pusher 166 as is Each slide 154 is provided with rackmesh with;the teeth of a spur gear 168 on a cross-shaft 169 revoluble in suitably mounted depending bearings 17-1, an end portion of such shaft having pinion 172 in mesh with a vertically-reciprocatory rack 173 forming part of a slide straddling shaft 109 and equipped with a roller 175 travelteeth 167 along its under edge which are in escapee or pile of blanks becomes somewhat de-l pleted. It is held out of the way by such stack if the latter is of a height tobe of proper or suficien-t weight.

The member 88 occupies the position shown in Figure 9 just to the front of the stack of blanks, its toe 92 engaging such front face of the stack, and theother parts are in the positions indicated in such figure. At the proper moment, shaft 101 is rocked by the mechanism previously described causing the finger 129, by reason of its rocking movement and also because of its cam connection with the stationary shaft 142, to travel toward the pile in the magazine and to rise at the same time inserting its sharp front edge in the stack with the desired number of blanks, say eight or ten, below it.

Such movement of the finger tilts that portion of the stack above it, as shownin Figure .8, and at the same time the corresponding travel of the plate 124; has caused its roller 125 to contact with the adjacent curved face or edge of the arm 88 to'carry its lower end or bevelled toe in under the tilted pile, thus preventing the adhesion of any of the lower blanks to the tilted ones and preventing partial tilting of any of the lower group.

Near the end of this upward and rearward stroke of the finger 129, the needle 136 is caused to rise through the opening 131, by

reason of the engagement of the cam face of the projection 139 with the relatively stationary roller 144, and to press slightly into the under face of the lowermost tilted blank to prevent the latter from being drawn out of the magazine during the rearward'discharge movement of the stack of blanks below it.

The cutters then rise after'having completed a preceding shearing operation and carry with them the retainers 72, that is to say, the latter are lifted sufficiently to permit the discharge beneath them ofthe horizontal group of blanks resting on the bottom of the supply magazine.

Thereupon the two pushers 161 travel rearwardly carrying ahead of them the plurality of horizontal blanks in the supplymagazine beneath the tilted ones, such group of blanks automatically temporarily rocking the pivoted retainers 61 out of the I way and leavingthe magazine beneath the retainers 72 which are now elevated sufficiently for this purpose.

As this group of blanks is thus fed along they'are guided into proper positionbeneath the knives by the bevelled guides 192 and possibly other members if these are desirable. i

This-set of blanks having been thus delivered from the supply magazine, the re.-

taining stops 61 immediately automaticallyrockback to normal operative position under the action of their controlling springs.

When the four knives descend to cut outthe corners of the blanks now positioned beneath them, the two guides or gauges 72 descend to close the gap at the lower end of the supply-magazine through which such group of blanks had previously passed.

The reverse rocking movement of shaft 101 causes the retraction of the needle from the lowermost tilted blank and the with drawal of the lifting finger 129, and the member 88 being now free to swing outwardly the stack of blanks in the supplymagazine either due solely to their own weight or supplemented by that of the mem- At this time the elevator 127, 128 is down and'the feed dogs or fingers 166 push the group of cut blanks into place under the stacker.

Roller 236 is provided to prevent the' mid dle portion of the stack of blanks in the storage-magazine from sagging unduly, and as the new group of blanks is fed rearwardly its back edge portion ascends the incline and becomes easily inserted by reason of the presence of the roller in under the pileof blanks above it.

The elevator then rises and forms a guide or stop for the rear edges of the group of blanks which is pushed to the knives by the.

feed dogs 161, and it also elevates'the group of cut blanks to the stack.

At the same time as the elevator is thus rising or lifting the set of cut blanks, the bars 206 which support the blanks in the storage-magazine separate or move outwardly allowing the stack in the magazine todescend or fall onthe group below it being elevated.

The elevatormoves upwardly to lift the combined stack and new group above the plane of the magazine bars 206, 206 and these then move inwardly or toward one another to hold the now augmented stack.

The elevator descends and both sets of feed .dogs or fingers move forwardly each toen-f scribediiabove These dogs being pivoted rock downwardly to pass beneath the groups of blanks which on their reverse movement they are to feedvrearvvardly, all

as Will be'r'eadily understood. j

While one embodiment only of this in-. vention has been illustratedand described, thos e'skilled inthis art Will, readily understand that the invention is susceptible of a to modify, their physical characteristics, a

storage-magazine {for the modified blanks, meansto feed-simultaneously a plurality of blanks resting on one another from the bottom of, said supply-magazine to said modiiyingm'eans, and' meansto feed said plurality of modified blanks simultaneously" into the bottom of said; storage-magazine beneath the stackof blanks therein.

'2. Ina'mechanism of the character de s r be t e mbina n, of a upp yazine for fiat blanks, means to. act on a plurality ot superposed blanks at a time to modify their physicalcharacteristics, a

storagenm-agazine for the modified blanks,

means-to lift, the blanks in the supply-magazine 'ivith'the exception of a group at the bottom thereof, means to feed said group 'froin the bottom of said; supply-magazine t saidmodifyingmeans, and means to feed Said, plurality of :mo dified blanks into said" storage-magazine.

3. In a mechanism of'the characterde-' scribed, 't'hjefcombination of a, supply-magazine for flat blanks, means; to act on a plurality; of superposed blanks at a time to modify' 'their physical characteristics,'a storage-magazine for, the modified blanks.

means to lift the blanks the supply-magazgine Withthe exceptionof a group at the bottom thereof, means to feed said group from the bottom of said supply-magazine to said modifying means, ilid means tofeed said plurality of modified blanksjini q the;

bottom of said storage-magazine] beneath the stacleof blanks therein.

at. In a mechanism oft-he. character desoribed,fthe combination ofa supply-magazine for fiat blanks, means to act.,on a plurality; of superposdblanks at a, time tomod'iffy their physicalscharacteristics, a

' storager magazineg for-the modified blanks,"

m nst. t t. h superpo ed anks in. the

v upply-mag ine i h the exception of a group at the bottom thereoflmeansto inigaeaeae termittently actuate said Qtilting means, means to feed said group of superposed blanks -i'rom the bottom of said supply: magazine to said modifying means and means to feed said plurality of'modified blanks'into saidst'orage-magazine '5. in 'a mechanism of the character-dc scribed,-the combination of a supply-mag azine for fiat blanks, means tofact on a plurality of superposed blanksat a :time

to modify: their physical characteristics, 7 a

storage-magazine for the modified" blanks,"

means to'til't the superposed-blanks in the supply-magazine With the exception of-a group at the bottom thereof, means to in termittently "actuate said tilting me'ans,- means to feed said group of superposed' blanks from the bottom of said supplymaga'zine to .said modifying means, *and" means to feedfsaid plurality of modified blanks in'to th e'bottoinyot said storage-mag azine beneath the stack of bl'ankstherein.

6. In a mechanism of the "character described, the combination ofi a supply=ma-gazi'ne fo'r'oflat blanks, means to act on-a plurality otsuperposed' blanks at a} time to modify their physical characteristics, a

storage-magazine flor' the, modified=blanks,,, means to tiltrthe superposed "blanks 'in the supply-magazine with, the exceptionfota;

group'atl the bottom thereoi, a needle, means to cause said needle to engage the undermost blanks of the tilted supply to prevent its Withdraival, means to feed said'bottom group ofblanks from said supply-n'iagazine to said modifying 1neans,and means to feed said group got modified blanks into said s oi e emes e- 7In mechanism of the characters described, the combination of a supply-mag azine'for' fiat blanks, means to act on a plLIra'Iityoi superposed blanks at a time to modify their physical charact'eristicsfa storage-magazine 'for the modifiedblanks,

nieansto tilt'the superposed blanks in the supply-magazinewith the exception eta group at thejbo'ttom thereoi' a needle, means to causesaid needle "to engageithe imder w most blank 'ofjthe tilted supply to prevent its Withdrawal, means to, eed said-bottom group of, blanks from said supply-magazine to, ,said modifying means, and means to jieed said group, of modified blanks into the bottom, of c said storage-"magazine beneath the stackoi"blanksthereini t f'j' SL I n a mechanism ofthe characterde' scribed, the combination ofQa suppLy- 'ina'gazine for fiat blanks, means to actjo'n a 1 modify their physicalcharacteristics, stormeans to tilt. the blanks in j the magazine with the exception of a group at thebot'toi'n 7 thereof; means to operate said tilting'nieans, means to prevent tilting of any of the blanks of such lower group, means to actuate said preventive means, means to feed said group of blanks in superposed relation from the bottom of said supply-magazine to said blank-modifying means, and means to feed said plurality of modified blanks into said storage-magazine.

9. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a supply-maga zine for fiat blanks, means to act on a plurality of superposed blanks at a time to modify their physical characteristics, a storage-magazine for the modified blanks, means to tilt the blanks in the magazine;

with the exception of a group at the bottom thereof, means to operate said tilting means,

on a plurality of superposed blanks at a time to modify their physical characteris tics, a storage-magazine for the modified blanks, means to open and close said discharge passage, means to feed the plurality of superposed blanks from the bottom of said magazine through said discharge open ing to said modifying means, and means to feed said plurality of modified blanks'into said storage-magazine.

11. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a supply-magazine for flat blanks, means to act on a plu-v rality of superposed blanks at a time to modify their physical characteristics, a storage-magazine, means to support a stack of modified blanks in said ma azine. means to move said supporting means into and out of operative position, an elevator to intro duce a new group of modified blanks into the bottom of said storage-magazine, means to operate said elevator, means to feed a group of superposed blanks from said supply-magazine to said modifying means, and

means to feed the group of modified blanks to said elevator.

I 12. In a mechanism of the, character de scribed, the combination of a supply-magazine for fiat blanks, means to act on a plurality of superposed blanks at a time" to modify their physical characteristics, a

storage-magazine, means to support a stack of modified blanks in said magazine, means tomove said supporting means into and out of operative position, an elevator to introduce a new group of modified blanks into the bottom of said storage-magazine, said elevator acting as a gauge for the blanks when acted upon by" said modifying means, means to operate said elevator, means to feed a group of superposed blanks from said supply-magazine to said modifying means, and means to feed the, group of modified blanks to said elevator.

13. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a supply-magazine for flat blanks, means to act on a plurality of superposed blanks at a time to modify their physical characteristics, a storage-magazine for the modified blanks, means to tilt the superposed blanks in the supply-magazine with the exception of a group at the bottom thereof, a needle, means to causesaid needle to engage the undermost blank of the tilted supply to prevent its withdrawal, means to prevent tilting of any of the blanks of such lower group, means to actuate said preventive means, means to feed saidgroup of blanks in superposed relation from the bottom of, said supplymagazine to said blank-modifying means,

means to support a stack of modified blanks in said storagemagazine, means to move said supporting means into and out of operative position, an elevator to introduce a new group of modified blanks into the bottom of said storage-magazine, said elevator acting as a gauge for the superposed blanks at the time they are acted upon by said modifying means, means to operate said elevator, means to feed a group of superposed blanks from said supply-magazine to said modifying means, and means to feed the group of modified blanks to said elevator.

ARTHUR J. EVERS. HER-BERT J. SAUVAGE. 

